


Before We Turn Into A Monster With 2 Heads

by vizzie1



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Engagement Rings, Love, M/M, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 23:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9407516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vizzie1/pseuds/vizzie1
Summary: "'Did you really go back in the lake for my ring?' Aaron's voice was almost a whisper...Thinking back to that day, Aaron recognizes that the ring would have sunk with the car, but he'd honestly never thought about how it ended up in Robert's pocket."In the aftermath of the fight and Aaron's release on bail, he has a late night revelation that leads to a conversation.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This has been stuck in my brain since Thursday's ep, so I needed to write it out. I wasn't sure if Aaron already knew about Robert diving for the ring, so if he did, just ignore it for this fic ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> All the standard disclaimers: I don't own Emmerdale or anything and am making no money on this. Also, it's not beta-d, so all mistakes are mine. Sorry.

While he's grateful to be out of prison, at least for a little while, the pub just doesn't feel much like home to Aaron tonight. Instead of laughter and comfort, it's all worried glances and strained uncertainty. Chas is yelling everything at him; Liv's smile hasn't reached her eyes once; he and Robert still have a million things to say to each other, but most of them have remained unsaid.

All of Robert's words and actions unmistakably reveal hesitancy, insecurity, and uneasiness. Aaron knows that his do the same. Part of him is still angry with Robert- for flirting with women, for lying to him, for taking off his ring and walking away. But another part of him can't stop blaming himself for the pain they are both feeling. He was so caught up in his own insecurities that he never even considered Robert's.

_How did they get here?_ From passion and support and domesticity and wedding plans...to laying a foot apart in bed, backs to each other, both pretending to sleep, but neither one fooled. What seems like hours pass, as they each remain trapped in their own thoughts, going over and over the past 48 hours- every word said or bitten back, every action taken or passed by, every look shared or avoided. _Where did it all go so wrong?_

The darkness and stillness and quiet are heavy in the room...until-

"Did you really go back in the lake for my ring?" Aaron's voice was almost a whisper, but sounded like a shout to ears accustomed to silence. A shout was needed to cross the canyon they'd created between them, a canyon needing to be filled with all the words unsaid and truths unknown until they could make their way back to each other.

As he reflected on their fight (one of their fights), Aaron's mind got stuck on something he hadn't really noticed at the time. But he remembered the words Robert had shouted at him, "I saved your life! And I risked mine too to go back in the water to get you that ring!" Thinking back to that day, Aaron recognizes that the ring would have sunk with the car, but he'd honestly never thought about how it ended up in Robert's pocket.

For a while, Aaron gets no response to his question. But he knows that Robert is awake, that he heard him, and that he'll answer when he's ready. Eventually, Robert sighs and looks at the ceiling, the furthest he can turn his head towards Aaron without shifting his body. "Yeah, I did."

The short, direct answer is all Aaron is going to get unless _he_ chooses to continue the conversation. Aaron is so used to Robert's quippy and sarcastic responses that this lack of humor hurts, maybe even more than the soft, monotone voice that carries it.

"Why?" Aaron finally asks.

Robert can't help the small grin on his face. He doesn't have to see Aaron to know that he's twisting his ring around his finger, an endearing habit that Robert wouldn't dare point out in case Aaron got self-conscious about it and stopped.

Robert reached up to turn on his small side lamp before turning to face Aaron completely. "Aaron," he said, voice still quiet but stronger. He waited until Aaron turned to face him, too, keeping the space between them. "I didn't go back for the ring," he continued. Aaron's brow furrowed in confusion, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Robert kept going, "I went back for everything that it represents. That ring is _for you_ , to symbolize my commitment to you. It's not made out of metal, but out of my love, support, and devotion. It is my future with you, and the life we're going to build together." Robert pauses to take a breath. Aaron can practically hear him trying to calm down his emotions, sure that Robert has tears in his eyes that match his own.

"And when you were in that hospital, and they didn't know if- I wasn't sure that we'd get that life together...my panicked brain thought that maybe if I could get the ring..." He let out another sigh. "I know it's stupid."

"Yeah, Robert. It was stupid," Aaron quickly responded, voice full of fondness. "Something could have happened to you. You shouldn't have risked yourself like that, even though I understand why you did it. I'm so sorry that you were able to doubt this, but my ring means something to me, too. It's a reminder to me, too, of our future life together, if-" his voice suddenly gets softer, "if you still want it."

Robert reaches across to Aaron, lacing together the fingers of their left hands, so their rings are side-by-side. He lifts their hands to his lips, kissing the rings, then looks Aaron directly in the eyes. "Forever."

With hands linked between them and small smiles on their faces, they finally drift off to sleep. They haven't solved all of their problems in one night, but they've made a start. And they've got the rest of their lives to keep working on it.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from '2 Heads' by Coleman Hell
> 
> "We just got caught up in the moment  
> Why don’t you call me in the morning instead?  
> Before we turn into a monster  
> Before we turn into a monster with 2 heads  
> I hope to god I’ll love you harder  
> I hope to god I’ll love you longer  
> If only I could live forever  
> If only I could hold you longer"


End file.
